Airbus to Sue Snoopers

One of the largest airlines in the world, the French Airbus, intends to apply to the court for appearing in the press reports of industrial espionage for the country. According to German media, espionage was carried out by the Federal Intelligence Service of Germany and the US National Security Agency. Airbus drew attention to the reports in the press that the German and US intelligence agencies collected information about the largest European companies, among which the company was too. According to the company management, Airbus appealed to the German government for an explanation.

Julian Herzog

- We have asked the federal government to provide information. Soon we will file a lawsuit against an unspecified defendant on suspicion of industrial espionage, - agency DPA quotes the representative of the group in Munich.

- We recognize that as one of the largest companies in our industry, we would be the aim of espionage. But in this case, we are alarmed because there are specific suspicions, - the representative of Airbus stated.

Earlier, the German media reported that with the filing of the US National Security Agency, intelligence agencies in Germany listen to phones and read the on-line correspondence of not only representatives of Airbus, but other large companies as well. The president's entourage and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, as well as officials of the European Commission occurred to be under scrutiny. German Foreign Minister called on the intelligence service to present a report on this issue as soon as possible. At the same time, left-wing parties suspected Thomas de Maiziere in a lie. They believe that the minister knew about everything, but made the reverse statement to Parliament.

According to information leaks from within the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND), apparently, Office of the President of France, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the European Commission were spied.

BND Monitoring Service in Bad Aibling in Bavaria also monitored for European companies at the request of Washington, making sure they do not violate the sanctions, i.e., related to Iran.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere called intelligence service to present to the Bundestag a report on this issue as soon as possible.

In connection with the accusations against the BND, a scandal erupted around the figure of Thomas de Maiziere.

April 14 the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is headed by de Maiziere, reported in an official response to the request of the Left Party in the Bundestag that it has "no information about a possible industrial espionage committed by the NSA and other US intelligence agencies in other countries."

Now, however, it became known that the German government at that time was already aware of the fact that the American NSA has tried to use its close cooperation with the BND for information on German and other European companies.

The Left Party has accused the government of deliberately distorting the facts.